Common gastrointestinal symptoms in pediatric palliative care: nausea, vomiting, constipation, anorexia, cachexia.

Gastrointestinal symptoms are suffered commonly by children at the end of life. Diagnosis and management of these common symptoms include careful history and physical examination to assess for possible causes; treatment - pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic; and a discussion with patients and families of care goals. Aggressive management of these symptoms is essential to improving the quality of life for these children.